NARI Women’s Beekeeping Apiary: A Model for Coexistence & Women’s Empowerment
Nestled on the boundary of the Upper Kitete elephant corridor, the NARI Women’s Beekeeping Apiary is a pioneering initiative that integrates women’s economic empowerment with elephant conservation. This women-led apiary, housing 15 Langstroth beehives, plays a vital role in sustainable beekeeping, providing both a source of income and a nature-based solution to mitigate human-elephant conflict (HEC).

The Challenge
The Upper Kitete region is a key migration corridor for elephants moving between Tarangire National Park and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. However, as farmland expands into traditional elephant pathways, conflicts arise—threatening both livelihoods and wildlife. Women, who bear much of the economic burden in rural households, often lack access to stable and independent income sources.

Our Solution
The NARI Women’s Apiary strengthens women’s financial resilience while reinforcing the Elephant Enterprise Hub, a circular model supporting community-driven coexistence solutions. The Langstroth hives allow for sustainable honey and wax production, with improved hive management increasing yields and product quality. The apiary provides the NARI women with skills in:
✅ Beekeeping & hive management
✅ Honey harvesting & processing
✅ Business & marketing development

By positioning the apiary strategically along the elephant corridor, it also serves as a natural deterrent to elephants, and supports the productivity of the farmer's beehive fence by providing bee colonies that can be split and homed along the fence line. The apiary bees are also restoring local biodiversity through pollination.

Key Achievements
🐝 15 Langstroth hives producing high-quality honey for local and national markets
👩‍🌾 Women’s economic empowerment through independent income generation
🌍 Elephant-friendly conservation model reducing HEC in a critical corridor
🌱 Increased biodiversity through pollination and sustainable land use
Scaling Impact
The success of this apiary demonstrates how women-led conservation enterprises can drive coexistence solutions. With further investment, the NARI women’s beekeeping initiative can expand to include more hives, training, and enhanced market access—scaling both financial independence and elephant corridor protection.

Join us in supporting women’s leadership in conservation and sustainable livelihoods!